Just used up last bit of Diane's paper clay on a new Forge at HoBB

[Grant]

Paper clay forced between cracks in old roof tiles used to line bottom of a smithy's forge.

By next week, I'll know how paper clay holds up to temperatures of 1400 + degrees C as I charcoal fire the new HoBB Forge for the first time. Building a forge was the idea of a recent Wwoofer (www.wwoof.org) who visited the HoBB. He's left now to help in the building an oak frame house in the Wirral (Nr. Liverpool UK) but the 'Alder Forge' remains ... soon ready to 'forge' new works in metal if the whole structure withstands the heat.

All best

Grant

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[Grant]

Spring Vice (AKA Leg Vice) is in place within a fine stone surround. Visited one anvil but it was a bit small, however, I now realise I'm looking for a 'Big' Anvil for the forge.

[Grant]

Red (Hot) Stuff? Sharp Chisels! Flowing out of fingers ! Still alive to type the tale - GREAT!

Over here, two leaflet holders carved (Chainsaw for most of it). Hefty stone shelving 99% finished around Forge. Need to put Vice in place and find an Anvil. Anyone got an Anvil they don't want - please let me know. TY.

[Diane Stafford]

blimey you are going to be too hot to handle ;-)

late reply oops! And you are forging ahead! Looking forward to the next update on progress and how did the wood carving go? I did a little small scale carving the other week and remembered just how sharp my chisels are when I saw that running red stuff (ouch)!

:-)

[Grant]

Thanks for prototyping offer but forge temp. may reach a white to yellow heat around 1400°C to 1600°C (I think). Stoneware's around 1300 °C. When we did the prototype forge we had a red to orange so probably reached around 1200°C.
Whilst Alastair's on his green oak building experience in the Wirral, I'm getting on with the shelving area, oil and water dips, anvil and vice position. Tomorrow however is wood day - carving a couple of free-standing leaflet holders.
HoBB Bouncy Castle? The closest we get is the grass compost area.

:)

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[Diane Stafford]

If fire walking is on the next BBQ menu, I'm not coming!! Although a bouncy castle is tempting! ;-)

OK, the drainage pipe is too big & isn't going to work. What temperature is the forge going to reach?

Stoneware temperature is the absolute highest I can reach in my little kiln. If I can help with prototype making do shout :-)
Di

[Grant]

... and more comfortable than performing a slow-motion fire walk.

I visited a local Smithy (Farrier) - his forge introduced air through an iron pipe (water jacketed). the pipe dimension was about 2cm diameter. I think that land drain pipe would work if I find a blower that can keep a bouncy castle inflated. It's, as you can detect, at a research stage. The prototype worked using an office fan heater, BBQ charcoal, stainless steel mesh and a small length of scaffold pole. We made a very useful tool if I can design a job for it!

G

[Diane Stafford]

Lovely attempt at reducing your carbon footprint :-)

what dimensions for the ceramic pipe - I've got a length of 'underground' drainage ceramic pipe if any use :-)

ttfn Di

[Grant]

We ate it all - if that's a sign of 'good'. Maybe it was hunger driving us ... maybe we are into carbon in a big way :)

Now I am looking for a length of ceramic pipe - all suggestions welcome. The pipe drives air into middle of charcoal.

All best

G

[Diane Stafford]

lol, I can smell that BBQ from your description :-) despite the added carbon It was good then. lol

vermiculite board sounds like a good idea as a lining, as for stone fried egg, that got you into a bit of a scramble haha

[Grant]

As the first fire in the Alder Forge cooked a christening BBQ, it did well enough - OK, perhaps the sweetcorn, home-made burgers and sausages looked a little blacker that black but scratch a long way under the surface and the taste of burnt carbon was terrific.

UPDATE:
Presently researching a Vermicullite board that can be easily cut to size to line the inside of the forge. I tried frying an egg on the stone work of an earlier prototype forge and the stone shattered with the heat (a predicted event). How was the Egg? Well ... if you scratched deep under its surface ...... :)